BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — An alligator attacked a Brevard County family's yellow Lab on Tuesday, and the dog survived.
The family said their dog is lucky to be alive after being in the jaws of an 11-foot alligator. The family said they can't believe it happened.
"Probably the craziest thing that's ever happened in my life," said Kendyl Bell.
It happened in the family's backyard early Tuesday morning. The family's four dogs were outside, when the family said they heard barking, but then something sounded different.
"Mom went out. Came in screaming her head off," said Bell.
That's when the family said they realized their dog was being attacked by a 700-pound gator right in their own backyard and they called 911.
Sheriff's deputies came out to the house, and the dog had escaped the gator. A trapper was called out to catch and kill the gator. The dogs' owners said the gator came from a canal just a few steps from their backyard.
"Thinking he maybe crawled under a fence somehow, don't know how we didn't notice it," said Bell.
The dog was taken to a veterinarian on Tuesday and was stitched up. The family said the dog will be fine.
"It's amazing that he survived and amazing he didn't get our other three dogs," said Bell.
The dogs' owners said they have never had problems with alligators before and they hope this is the last time they have to encounter one.